A Place To Call Home
by Carter-Shiraz
Summary: Squall has disappeared and Sorceress Rinoa is struggling to come to terms with her powers. Will she be able to accept them? Does she even have a choice? Especially when they may hold the key to finding her Knight.
1. Chapter 1

_AUTHOR'S NOTE: _Hello everyone! Wow! My first fic outside the FFVII fandom and boy am I excited! I hope you all enjoy it and please leave me a review!

Influences include Charmed, Merlin and many others

_By the way, I do not own Final Fantasy or any of the associated characters, places etc. _

X X X

_Ive been waiting for you ..._

_Why...?_

_Because ...I love you_

_And because you told me you'd be here..._

_A very long time ago..._

_You promised me! _

_Didnt you?_

"Rinoa!" A lone voice sounded across the endless fields of flowers, carried there by the cool late summer breeze that wooshed through the bright pink, yellow and blue petals with a warm, yet ghostly touch.

The young woman turned at the sound of her name, her dark hair and floor-length blue duster catching the last breath of the wind, a sight many artists would die to be able to capture; the lovely young Sorceress alone in the endless flower field. "What is it? " her voice had an uncanny ability to sound cheerful, no matter how dark her mood was.

Her best friend, Selphie Tillmitt, came slowly walking towards the woman, which in itself was testament to the black cloud that had covered the world over the last three years; Selphie_ never _moved slowly, certainly not with the distinct droop of her slim shoulders.

"What are you doing out here? " Selphie's voice held a note of warning. Of course she didn't really have to ask, she already knew perfectly well.

"I..." Rinoa faltered, slowly turning her gaze back to the endless meadow, hoping for some sight, some sign that her Knight was here, that he remembered the promise they had made all those years ago. "One time I thought I lost him, and I came here and found him," she turned back to her friend with a sad smile playing on her lips. "Is it wrong to hope for things to work again?"

Selphie gave no reply, just looked on as Rinoa's gaze was drawn, almost like a magnet to the flower field.

"I just," the frustration in Rinoa's heart was evident now. "Wish that I knew why he left! "

Tears fell unbidden from Rinoa's dark eyes, staining her smooth skin as they travelled down until they were nothing more than two spots of damp on the loamy soil beneath her feet.

To her surprise, a scoff sounded behind her. Rinoa turned on her heel to Selphie's face curled into an unmistakable sneer. "Don't pretend Sorceress Rinoa," she practically spat.

Rinoa staggered, as if struck by a physical blow. "Selph, what-"

"Everyone knows, Squall left because of you! " Selphie snarled.

Rinoa took a step backwards. "That's not true, " she said, almost whispering, her tone fearful. Far above her, the peaceful sunny sky, darkened under a blanket of Clouds the colour of deepest night.

"Isn't it? " a second voice joined Selphie's. The shadowy figure at her side grew sharper until it took the form of the blonde SeeD instructor, Quistis Trepe, her usually kind face twisted into one of anger and contempt. "What man would want you? A raging power without control? You could murder him in his sleep and he would be powerless to stop you," the instructor through her head back and laughed; a vile, ugly sound that echoed around the open field.

"Oh Great Sorceress! Decendent of Hyne, " Selphie mocked, dropping into an exaggerated bow.

"Stop it! Both of you! " Rinoa screamed, clasping her hands to her head. "Please, ' she begged, dropping to her knees and sobbing.

Her friends just laughed.

"Ignorant fools! "

Rinoa snapped her head around at the new arrival. She knew that voice anywhere!

Sure enough, there stood her greatest enemy. The one being who had nearly destroyed life as Rinoa knew it.

She was not a large woman, yet she exuded an aura that commanded awe- and fear. Clothed only in a gown of rich crimson velvet, that barely concealed her modesty; her bearing proud and defiant. Her silvery hair had been arranged into an elaborate updo, the ends twisted up to form two horns growing from her temples. Every inch of visible skin was covered in tattoos and scars, and her hands had mutated into vicious talons of violet hues, while she walked on the feet of a beast.

Here eyes were yellow and her face as scarred and tattooed as the rest of her, yet it still held the shadow of a great- and terrible beauty.

"Poor ignorant fools, " Ultimecia went on, her voice as chilling as the wind. "Fearful in their ignorance, hateful in their fear, they seek to destroy that which they cannot hope to understand."

Rinoa shivered in the face of her enemy, the one she always feared she would one day become. It reminded her of her first encounter with the dreadful witch, only then Squall had been by her side, held her hand as they faced the most terrible opponent in their lives.

"Do not be afraid Rinoa, " Ultimecia glided forward towards the younger Sorceress. "We are much alike, you and I-"

"No! " Rinoa hated hearing the fear in her voice, making it unnaturally shrill, hurting her own ears. "I'm not like you! I never will be. "

Ultimecia through back her head and laughed, a loud throaty cackle that echoed unusually loud. "Oh but you already are my dear. No matter how you try to deny it, you and I are bonded through magic! We, are kin! "

Rinoa cried out in denial, beating her fists against the ground, sending petals flying. She cried out for Squall, for her mother, even her estranged father.

"So weak, " Ultimecia said, derision dripping from her words. "Your heart is as black as mine, refusing to believe it, will only delay your destiny to destroy! "

Rinoa finally stopped sobbing, and looked Ultimecia dead in the eye. "You're wrong! " she shouted, she would not be weak, not anymore.

"Am I? " One painted eyebrow rose in teasing disbelief. "Look at the very ground where your precious promise was made."

Confused, Rinoa looked around her, before her lips began to quiver.

The beautiful rolling field of flowers, stretched to the ends of her sight, and every flower she could see, once rich and full of life had withered.

"I- I couldn't have, " she trembled.

"Oh but you have, " Ultimecia said, mocking Rinoa with a short bow. "This the destiny of all Sorceresses, to destroy all of existence! "

Her voice rose once again, that harsh sound, mixing in with the mirthless laughter of Selphie and Quistis. Rinoa clutched at her head, paying no heed to the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Squall, please help me," she whispered.

X X X

_"Squall!" _ Rinoa shrieked, sitting straight up in her bed.

Dead quiet. Everything around her was still, the light of the full moon filtered gently through her window, the only reprieve to the darkness of the night.

Another nightmare, Rinoa thought privately. How dumb had she been to believe in it. The dreams had been getting worse lately, she just wished she knew why.

Both Selphie and Edea had suggested she see a shrink, after all, she had been through enough trauma over the last few years to warrant much more than nightmares.

As if she needed a shrink to tell her what was wrong, Rinoa already knew; she blamed herself for Squall's disappearance. Who could hold it against him, anyway? He didn't want a potentially dangerous girlfriend blowing up the house every second day.

Shaking her head to dispel the depressing thought, Rinoa set her head back down onto the pillow, although doubtful she would be getting any sleep.

Just as her eyes were closing, she heard the nagging creak of her wooden door being opened.

"Rin, you alright in here? " Selphie stood in the threshold, evidently just having woken up, her eyes still half closed and her voice sounded as if her tongue had doubled in size.

Despite her own tiredness, Rinoa just had to smile, no matter what else, she still had her friends. She doubted she could have made it through these last couple of years without them, although their constant treatment of her, as if she were a bomb about to explode at the slightest mishandling, annoyed her no end.

"Yeah, don't worry about me Selphie. Just another nightmare, " she said, stretching her arms.

"You sure? " Selphie asked, stifling a yawn. "You wanna talk about it, " she walked into the room, sitting on the edge of the bed, flipping the light-switch as she did.

"Yeah," Rinoa said, sitting up. "I mean, what's their to talk about?"

"You know," Selphie said with another yawn. "Sometimes talking helps, you shouldn't keep all that stuff bottled up. "

"Well, I have talked about it, constantly, " Rinoa replied. "In fact, if I talk about it anymore I'll probably explode. Besides," she added, looking out the window, "it's not like talking will bring him back, " she said, somewhat bitterly.

Selphie shook her head sadly. "Sweetie, you have to stop holding onto him, he's gone. You need to move forward! Think about your future! "

"You don't get it Selphie! " Rinoa retaliated. "Squall_ was_ my future. I never ever thought about life without him! I can't just let go!"

Before she could let out another word, Rinoa's breath caught in her throat and she began to cry uncontrollably.

Selphie quickly gathered Rinoa into her arms and began to rock and calm the emotional young woman. "There there, honey. Shhh, don't worry, everything will be okay. "

"Just when I think I'm over it, this happens! " Rinoa bawled.

"I know, I know. But you gotta be str-" Selphie's remaining words were lost in a gasp. She was staring wide-eyed at something on Rinoa's floor.

"What is it? " Rinoa asked, all traces of sadness gone. Both Selphie and herself had become alert and quick to react, they had to, during the war.

Selphie didn't say a word, just pointed to a small pile of metal that glittered in the moonlight. Rinoa clapped her hands to her mouth at the sight of it, before feeling her left wrist in disbelief.

Lying on the floor were the shattered remains of an Odine Bangle, a bangle Rinoa had been wearing.


	2. Chapter 2

"Zat iz impozzible!"

Rinoa resisted the extremely tempting urge to roll her eyes at the annoying little man doing some sort of enraged tap-dance in front of her. Although Dr Odine was considered a genius, not to mention the unanimously voted high authority on all things related to the Sorceresses and their mysterious powers, Rinoa personally couldn't stand the man!

He was a squat man, dressed in brightly coloured body-suit along with an extravagant collar that reminded the young woman of an insane clown she remembered from some video game. A long with his high-pitched, squeaky voice and short temper, as well as the tendency to go off on some tangent made this particular meeting something of a fool's truce.

She had to remember, despite the irritating manner, they needed him.

Clearly, Quistis, who had volunteered to accompany the young Sorceress, along with Selphie, was thinking along the same lines.

"We understand that your merchandise, particularly the bangle crafted specifically for Sorceress Rinoa, is of the best quality." Her usually smooth brow was creased by a frown. Aside from that, the newly-reinstated instructor showed no signs of the frustration common to those working with Dr Odine. Rinoa was glad it was Quistis, not her, handling the meeting, she herself would've probably throttled him by now. "However we cannot deny the fact that it was defective, otherwise it wouldn't broken."

The irrate doctor hopped angrily on the spot. "Rubbish! " he snapped, sticking a bony finger down Quistis' s nose. "Odine's products are ze best!"

"Then you try explaining what the hell happened! " Quistis shot back, snapping out of character for just a moment. Rinoa knew it was more than just frustration causing Quistis to lose her cool; she was worried about Rinoa. The young SeeD instructor took a deep breath to calm herself. "Look, what's done is done, can you or can you not fix it?"

"Fix zis piece of junk?!" Odine shrieked. He held up the blackened remains of the bracelet between two fingers, eyeing it contemptuously. "No, it has been a long time since Odine has had a challenge! I shall be creating a new one! "

Selphie gave a giggle at Odine's excitement, while even Quistis allowed herself a smile of relief. Rinoa let out a deep sigh, unaware up to that point that she had been holding her breath.

The little scientist was still muttering incoherently to himself. "Coat ze bangle in a sturdier material...make ze thing heavier...increase ze insulation...but of course style is a problem."

Oblivious to the surrounding women's stares, Odine finally looked up. "Should take me about two weeks to have a prototype, zen anuzzer week for testing. Add in shipping and we're looking at a month minimum."

All three women's jaws dropped so suddenly, it was almost as if a loud clunking noise was echoing around the room. "A month?!" Rinoa repeated, aghast. "I could- I dunno -blow up Garden or something!"

Odine hopped angrily on the spot, clearly tired of dealing with loud-mouthed women. "Vas it Odine's fault zat ze stupid Sorceress broke ze first bangle?! " he snapped, waggling a bony finger at Rinoa's nose.

"Look don't you have any other bangles we could use in the mean time?" Quistis said, trying to diffuse the situation as quickly as possible.

"And risk ze Sorceress destroying anuzzer piece of Odine's marvellous creations?" The very thought seemed sacrilegious to the little scientist. "Besides, zat vas my last one, business has been booming since ze Sorceress War!"

"Looks like that's the best we're gonna get, " Selphie whispered.

"It's gonna have to do, " Quistis agreed. The young instructor turned to tell Odine the good news.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Odine said, waving her off impatiently. "Now please see yourselves out, I am a busy man!"

"More like a busy little garden gnome!" Selphie said in an undertone. Rinoa had to laugh in response, while Odine's lackeys ushered them out.

X X X

"I mean really! " Selphie complained a little afterwards. "Would it have been that hard for him to just give us something to keep it under control for a little while?"

"Probably not, but you know the old fool loves having people running around him in blind panic, " Rinoa replied, although Selphie had a valid point.

The two of them had decided to take a walk around Esthar City, while Quistis had gone back to their hotel room to report back to Headmaster Cid and call Garden to pick them up.

Rinoa knew the advanced technology of the metropolis was as close as life got to heaven for Selphie. She herself didn't really care much for the brightly coloured streets and high-tech vehicle's. Rinoa much preferred the quaint little streets of Winhill and Shumi Village.

All the same, she had to admit it was difficult to look at Esthar and not feel even a little bit in awe. The towering buildings and tall spires, reaching for the heavens themselves, were truly a sight to behold. All of it painted in hues of electric blue, quartz red and vibrant yellows, gave the impression of supreme energy. Even the people, clothed in cloaks of white with details in various colours seemed to always be energetic and lively.

These were peaceful times, though if Rinoa thought about it, of all the nations in the world, Esthar had suffered the least during the war. Walled up and cloaked to hide themselves from the outside world, they seldom had anything to do with the rest of humanity. She couldn't really hold it against them, knowing first hand what the state's former leader was capable of, they deserved a small respite.

"Still though, " Selphie mused, tilting her head from side to side with her index finger on her chin. "Your powers have stayed dormant for so long, why are they suddenly acting up? "

"Believe me Selph, I wish I knew," Rinoa frowned darkly. Selphie couldn't possibly comprehend the way Rinoa felt about her powers. It's one thing to fear the Sorceress, another all together when you have to fear yourself. Fear of what you could do, to wake up one day to find that you've inadvertently destroyed the world. To instill fear, disgust and hatred into the hearts of people everywhere.

"Rin? You okay? " Selphie looked curiously at her friend. Rinoa noticed that she had been clenching her fists and gritting her teeth.

"Yeah, I think so, " Rinoa tried to give her friend a reassuring smile. "I guess it was too much to hope for- that everything would be okay."

"Oh don't talk like that! " Selphie chirruped, as they stopped near a bench to sit. "Everything will work out fine!"

"How can you be so sure? "

"Well, I'm not!" Selphie replied brightly. "I'm just hoping!"

Rinoa tried not to roll her eyes. Selphie was just irrepressively optimistic. She wouldn't be Selphie otherwise. Something else caught Rinoa's eye though.

A little girl, dressed in the trappings of an Esthar citizen, was walking over to the road, where speeding hovercrafts were shooting past like bullets, the child's mother was a few paces away, chatting animatedly

Selphie caught on to her friend's glum expression. "I'm sorry Rinoa. I'm just trying to help."

"I know Selphie," Rinoa returned her friend's smile. "I guess I could use a bit of cheering up!"

"Yeah, and I'm sure this is the last thing you need right now."

"That's for sure!" Rinoa replied darkly, thinking about Squall.

"Especially with the exam coming up!"

"Exam?!" Rinoa's eyes went wide. She had completely forgotten about the SeeD exam she was due to take. Though she had a lot more combat experience than even seasoned SeeDs, Rinoa still wanted to take the exam, to feel like she wasn't just an honorary guest at Garden. Besides, she could be deployed all over the world as a SeeD, maybe then she'd be able to find some clue about Squall's disappearance.

"You forgot about the exam!?" Selphie's eyebrows were in danger of disappearing into her hair.

"Well, can you blame me?"

The expression on Rinoa's face was so comical, Selphie soon found herself laughing.

Rinoa managed to hold a straight face for a full second before she too collapsed into fits of mirth. It had truly been too long since they had laughed like this. It reminded Rinoa of happier times, times after the war with Ultimecia. Herself and Selphie giggling uncontrollably, Zell guffawing loudly, Irvine going along with it and trying to cop a feel on Selphie, Quistis, dearly longing to join in, but struggling to keep her composure...and Squall. Of all of them Squall seldom smiled, barely laughed at all, but Rinoa knew, probably better than Squall himself, the change was in his eyes. Those stormy gray orbs would light up, as if the sun was peeking out from behind the clouds.

But Squall was gone now, she didn't even know if he was alive or dead, was he happy? Did he leave because he couldn't handle the pressure? Was everything too much to handle, now that the immediate threat had been eliminated? Or had Squall been facing some demon only he knew about? Did he even have a choice, or had something torn him away from her?

So many questions, so few answers. Some days she would wake up yearning for the world to end, others she wouldn't care anymore! Squall didn't care about her, or else he would've been back in a heart beat! Most days though, she would say to herself, "This time, I'll be the hero, Squall! I'll save_ you_ this time! "

It was a thought that kept Rinoa going, for since Squall disappeared, though he seldom laughed, laughter had become an endangered species.

"Uh, Selph," Rinoa said nervously, catching sight of the child she had seen earlier, inching dangerously close to the road.

"What? " Selphie was still oblivious.

The child was on the edge of the road, Rinoa's heart inched further up into her throat; she could see a hovercar shooting towards the kid at breakneck speed.

"Oh my god! " Rinoa nearly shrieked.

The car was nearly upon the little girl, she was looking curiously at the see-through road, her mother was still talking to her friend, Selphie was distracted.

"Ahh!" Rinoa yelped just as the car was about to hit the girl, only it didn't.

The car stood completely still, almost as if placed in suspended animation, the blurry path left of its shimmering red paint, still visible, the driver's expression of horror and disbelief caught on his face, almost like Rinoa was looking at a picture.

The child, too was frozen, her innocent expression unchanged and she didn't appear to be breathing. Rinoa glanced at her mother, she too had completely frozen, it was as if time itself was standing still.

Rinoa noticed one hand was clutching at her heart, which was hammering away in her chest, while her other hand had flailed in the girl's direction. "Selphie, did you-"

But Selphie had also been hit with whatever had suddenly come over the world. Her mouth was still half open, but no sound came from within.

Fighting down her mounting panic, Rinoa quickly got to her feet, everything else could wait, she had to save that child!

She hurried forward, ignoring the statue-like figures around her, not knowing if this time bubble would stop. No sooner had her hands touched the girl's shoulder, then time suddenly reawakened. Sound returned, people started moving again, thankfully Rinoa had managed to yank the child out of harm's way.

The offending driver swerved a little before driving along without a backwards glance. "Idiot! " Rinoa yelled after him. The child seemed have awoken from some stupor and began crying loudly.

"Lenna! " The child's mother cried, running towards the two of them. "I can't believe it! I didn't even notice her wandering off! "

You would if you weren't gossiping so much, Rinoa thought inwardly, though she decided against voicing her opinion.

"Oh my dear! " the woman fussed over her daughter. "Are you alright!? Were you hurt?" She seemed to notice Rinoa's presence for the first time. "Thank you so much! If you weren't there, I don't know what might've happened!"

"It's really not a problem," Rinoa managed to get out, though her mind was still reeling from whatever had just happened.

The woman clutched her child's hand and went on her way, while Rinoa massaged her temples and walked back to the bench.

Selphie was still there, still rooted to the seat, although it seemed more out of shock and confusion rather than what Rinoa was beginning to suspect as magical.

"Okay, what the hell just happened? " she burst out before Rinoa even had a chance to speak.

"I don't know!" Rinoa was on the verge of a heart attack.

"One minute you're sitting next to me, next thing I know, you're over there chatting to that lady!" Selphie almost screamed, her voice reaching an inhumanly high pitch. "Rinoa what did you do?!"

"I was just sitting here, watching that kid get too close to the road," Rinoa managed to get out, fanning herself with her hands in an effort to calm herself. "Next thing I know, a car comes shooting straight at her-I panic and all of a sudden-" Rinoa finally regained control of her thoughts. "Time stops completely," she finished, almost to herself

Selphie regarded her friend with a mixture of bewilderment and concern. "All I know is that Quistis is gonna be-"

X X X

"Pissed? "

Quistis' s angry voice reverberated around the hotel room the girls had booked. In front of her, the two younger women cowered under her impending wrath. "So, just to clarify," Quistis leaned forward, her tone eerily calm. "You two thought I would be pissed? Well you couldn't have been more wrong because I am _furious!_"

"Well, no one got hurt right?" Selphie said with as much of her customary pep as she could manage, along with an attempt at a cutesy smile.

Quistis, however was not one easily fooled by such underhanded tactics. "This time. What about the next time, or the time after that? I hope you realise just how much trouble this could cause?"

"Look, Quistis-"

"I don't wanna hear it!" Quistis shot back. She paced the room massaging her temples. "This is just what we need, right when I think this Sorceress stuff is behind us, something like-"

"Something like me?" Rinoa asked sarcastically, speaking up for the first time.

Quistis winced at the realisation of what she had nearly said. "Rinoa, I didn't mean-"

'Yes you did, " Rinoa asserted, folding her arms. "And you're right. "

"Rin? " Selphie's eyebrows rose in concern. "You feeling alright?"

"I'm fine Selphie, " Rinoa replied, before turning back to the instructor. "You're right; as long as I have these powers, we'll never be free of this curse. Besides, it's not like I can control when things like this happen! I'm as scared and clueless as you are!"

Quistis pinched the bridge of her nose. "Look, regardless, we have a problem here and we have to find a way to deal with it! I think we should head back to Odine's."

"And listen to him talk to himself in gibberish?" Rinoa placed her hands on her hips again. "No way!"

"We may not have a choice! " Quistis said forcefully. "What if this happens again."

"Then we'll just have to deal with it, " Rinoa felt her frustration rising.

"Maybe we should go speak to Laguna, " Selphie suggested.

Rinoa shook her head. "He's got enough to deal with anyway!"

"Rinoa..." Selphie began.

"Rinoa listen to me, " Quistis was next.

Everything was happening at the same time, too much too soon. Rinoa felt blood pounding in her ears, their voices assaulted her. She wanted this entire day to be over, for everything to just end.

It was stretching her to breaking point, the world around her became a fuzzy blur. Yet her mind felt clear, yet the forms of Selphie and Quistis remained hazy. Their lips kept moving, without any sound, and so slowly.

Rinoa staggered, grabbing on to the granite table top behind her for support, feeling her heart thundering in her chest with her rising fear. She saw both women gaze at her with worry, but still moving in slow motion.

"Rrrriii-oa?!" Quistis's voice normalised in mid-sentence.

Rinoa, still breathing hard, couldn't find the strength to reply, just shook her head in an effort to clear it.

"Did it happen again? " Selphie asked worriedly, rushing to her side. "Did time stop?"

"No," Rinoa rasped, her throat having gone completely dry. "It was different this time," she continued after clearing her throat. "Time didn't freeze, it just sorta slowed down."

"I really think we should-" Quistis tried to speak.

"No!" Rinoa's words came out harsher than she intended. "I don't want to see either Laguna or Odine! I'm still too angry with both of them, who I do want to speak to is Edea!"

"Matron? " Selphie asked, sounding confused.

"Yeah, I got my powers from her didn't I? She should be able to tell me how to keep them down, at least until Odine gets me a new bracelet."

Both SeeDs exchanged a concerned look at her suggestion.

"What? " Rinoa demanded. "I know that look! What aren't you two telling me?"

"It's just that, " Selphie said nervously.

"You did accept Matron's powers, but her talent focused on ice magic," Quistis finished for her.

"The power to stop, slow down and mess with time?" Selphie went on, her voice beginning to shake.

Rinoa felt a brick drop into the pit of her stomach.

"Oh Hyne! That's Ultimecia's power..."

X X X

Author's Note: I know it sounds like a minor inconsistency at the end because Edea accepted Ultimecia's powers, and by extension passed them to Rinoa, but only Squall witnessed that, and everyone who's played FFVIII knows he isn't the sharing type.


End file.
